Egypt's Foreign Minister, Sameh Shukri, center, arrives for a reception where he was ambushed by a protest of journalists wearing black tape over their mouths to signify silencing of the media, over the continued detention of three Al-Jazeera English journalists in his country, as part of his visit to the United Nations Office in Nairobi, in Kenya Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015. Media based in Nairobi, where detained Australian Al-Jazeera journalist Peter Greste is based, staged the protest while Shukri was visiting the UN office to speak about Egypt being a candidate for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
(The Associated Press)

Egypt's Foreign Minister, Sameh Shukri, speaks to the media during his visit to the United Nations Office in Nairobi, in Kenya Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015. Media based in Nairobi, where Australian Al-Jazeera journalist Peter Greste who is detained with two of his colleagues in Egypt is based, staged a protest while Shukri was visiting the UN office to speak about Egypt being a candidate for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
(The Associated Press)

United Nations security staff eject journalists as they stage a protest about the continued detention of three Al-Jazeera English journalists in Egypt, during the visit of Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri to the United Nations Office in Nairobi, in Kenya Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015. Media based in Nairobi, where detained Australian Al-Jazeera journalist Peter Greste is based, staged the protest while Shukri was visiting the UN office to speak about Egypt being a candidate for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
(The Associated Press)

NAIROBI, Kenya – A group of Nairobi-based journalists has been ejected from a reception at the United Nations complex in Kenya's capital after launching a protest over Al-Jazeera journalists jailed in Egypt.

About a dozen journalists were removed from the reception by U.N. security after waving placards written "#FREEAJSTAFF," with their mouths covered by black masking tape — symbolizing the muzzling of the press.

Three Al-Jazeera English journalists — Canadian-Egyptian Mohammed Fahmy, Australian Peter Greste and Egyptian Baher Mohammed — have been held for more than a year in Egypt on terror-related charges. The case has sparked widespread condemnation from international rights groups and other media outlets, who say the journalists have been unjustly jailed for doing their job.